Abstract:
The common market for coal and steel established between Federal German Republic, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherland and Luxembourg was to be the first step towards European integration. On 25 March 1957, six member states established the European Economic Community (EEC) by signing the Treaty of Rome. The Maastricht Treaty in 1992 served to further strengthen Community institutions and endow them with additional powers, giving birth to the European Union (EU). Turkey was one of the countries to seek close cooperation with the European Economic Community (EEC). This cooperation was realised in the framework of an "association agreement", known as the Ankara Agreement, which was signed on 12 September 1963. Turkey submits application for full membership on 14 April 1987. The Customs Union between Turkey and the EU takes effect on 1 January 1996. At the Helsinki Summit in December of 1999, the European Council gives Turkey the status of candidate country for EU membership, following the Commission's recommendation in its second Regular Report on Turkey. Accession Negotiations open on 3 October 2005. It was made several constıtutıonal amendments in 1982 Turkısh Constitution since Turkey has entered into the process of candidateship to the EU. During the 1982 constitution, Turkey has made a large number of constitutional amendments and law reform in order to obtain significant gains towards EU. The first and most important constitutional amendments in this area were made during the coalition governments (parliaments 19-21). In the period of Professor Dr. Tansu Ciller (DYP-SHP), amendment numbered 3913 on radio, television and journalism and numbered 4121 amendments on trade union activities etc. have been made. In the period of Bülent Ecevit (DSP-ANAP-MHP), 4446, 4388, 4709 and 4720 amendments were made. After that, Turkey has been a candidate country as an official at the European Summit in 1999. Later on, during the reign of Bülent Ecevit, I. II. and III. EU compliance packages have been issued. In these packages, improvements have been made towards the European Union in many areas such as the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure, the Turkish Penal Code and the Anti-Terror Law. Following the Coalition Governments, these efforts were continued during the AK Party governments and four more harmonization law packages were enacted on the road to the EU. But Turkey-EU accession process has not yet reached the desired results. In this study, EU formation process, EU and Turkey's history and constitutional amendments by especially coalition governments in 1982 Turkish Constitution are investigated.
